


Afterparty

by Lizardbeth



Category: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-03
Updated: 2013-03-03
Packaged: 2017-12-04 06:01:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/707344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizardbeth/pseuds/Lizardbeth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Streamy Awards 2014...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Afterparty

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on/inspired by the cast photos from the Streamy Awards 2013  
> (er, without Wickham though, for obvious reasons...) They looked like they were having fun, so I had to write it - hope you have fun with it, too! :D

* * *

Lizzie smiles at the camera. She's wearing what looks like a silvery top with spaghetti straps, a little more makeup than normal, and her hair curls in front of one shoulder.

"It's a big night. Tonight's the Streamy Awards where, somehow, this little videoblog has gotten nominated for an actual award. Which is amazing. Also amazing? I get to present a category and I'm going to be with George Takei! I mean, how does that even happen? Little me with a videoblog on the same stage at the same microphone with George Takei, presenting the writing comedy award. I just… I don't even know sometimes how this has all happened…" 

She stops for a moment to stare at the camera, overwhelmed, then smiles again. "Well, it's all because of you, really! So I want to thank all of you, those who've followed this mad adventure from the beginning especially. Thank you so much for making this night possible." 

From out of camera range there's a deeper voice more faintly heard, "Lizzie, are you ready? The driver's on the --" He stops and finishes nearly too softly for the camera to pick up, "…way." 

Lizzie turns her head to look toward the door. 

Fans of the Diaries recognize William Darcy's voice, but it is the look on her face that tells the viewers exactly who it is -- her smile widens and her eyes take on a new shine. 

He says, "You look … amazing." And there can be no doubt that he means it just in the timbre of his voice. 

She's still staring at him, as if her eyes can't turn away, and her voice is a little faint. "You look really nice, too." She clears her throat and gestures him closer. "Here, let everyone get a look." 

"I need to -" 

He tries to demur, but she rises, showing that it's a dress she's wearing, cute and short and shimmery, and pulls him into frame. He sits beside her a little stiffly, his expression tolerant as she straightens his bow tie. "There." She pats his chest and turns back to the camera, leaning forward and mock-whispering to the camera, "I'm going to have the best looking and most handsome plus-one of the night."

He glances down, eyes flickering in embarrassment that only fades when her hand reaches over to take his.

She addresses the camera again. "My name is Lizzie Bennet, and this is the night of the Streamys." She grins and holds it for a moment, before turning back to William. "There. All done for now, I'll finish in the morning with the wrap up of whatever happens tonight." 

Believing he won't be filmed now [even though he totally still is because _someone_ didn't cut it where she was supposed to -- mentioning no names, but it rhymes with Bar Lot Moo], he relaxes enough to smile at her. "This is your night, and you should be proud of all you've achieved, Lizzie." 

"I still feel like a college student making a blog in my bedroom," she admits, with a wry grin. "I said terrible things, I was… foolish. I shouldn't get an award for that." 

"But you also showed you learned from it," he points out, "And that's what it's all about." He pauses and adds, teasing, "Agoraphobic lobster notwithstanding." 

She giggles and elbows him, "Fitz said that! Not me!"

His arm goes around her shoulders to hug her closer. "Hm, true. You called me--" 

"Darcybot." She laughs and turns her head. "Kiss me, Darcybot." Her lips land on his cheek, until he shifts to meet her. His fingers slide across her bare upper back, as their mouths join in a kiss that suggests they might be late going downstairs.

The title screen pops up. 

* * * 

The show is great fun, though she doesn't win anything. Presenting with George Takei feels nightmarishly awkward at first, because he's so smooth and funny and she doesn't feel that way at all, but she keeps her eyes on William at the table and manages to remember how to talk. When her name is announced for the nomination, she grabs William's hand and for a moment she hopes - hopes so hard - that she won. But when someone else's name is announced as the winner, it's a strange relief. She applauds and smiles, and when William rests his hand on her shoulder in consolation, she can shrug that it's no big deal. She's got him, and that's a better award for her vlogs than some dust-catcher anyway.

The party afterward is better, especially because the gang's all there, but most of all Lizzie is aware of William at her side. He's quiet in the group, observing more than joining in, though Fitz and Lydia join forces in trying to keep him involved. Jane intervenes to redirect the conversation away from him occasionally, doing her kind and quiet best to shield him from their enthusiasm.

It's getting late and they've gathered at one of the tables, when Lizzie feels a vibration in the tabletop of someone's phone. It's William's, she realizes, when he takes it out of his jacket pocket.

"Turn it off, man," Fitz encourages him. 

"C'mon, William, no work," Gigi chides him. "This is a party." 

He glances at the screen and grimaces. "Japan. Sorry, I have to take it." He glances at Jane with a flicker of a smile, "It's super important." He touches Lizzie's shoulder in apology and leaves the table. "I'll be right back."

Lizzie watches him hurry toward the foyer, phone to his ear, trying to find a quieter place to talk. 

Gigi lets out a disgruntled sigh and tells Lizzie, in warning, "If you haven't realized yet, it never stops. If it's not Japan, it's Britain, or Indonesia, or something. Always work."

Fitz starts, objecting, "GGD--"

"I know, Fitz, I know." Gigi lifts a hand to stop him. "He wouldn't be our Will if he wasn't responsible. That doesn't mean it's not annoying sometimes." 

"Tell me about it." Lydia rolls her eyes at Lizzie and then nudges her playfully. Lizzie nudges her back that it's okay.

But even as Fitz deliberately changes the subject by asking Jane whether she designed her dress herself which propels Lydia into ranking the fashion of the people around them, Lizzie's aware of the empty place next to her. She gets another martini from the waiter when he stands in that space and is about to go find what happened to William, when he returns.

She doesn't even have to look or hear him to know he's back. Just the touch of his jacket against her back as he leans close is enough to tell her. "I'm back. I turned it off." 

"Good." He's standing right behind the stool, so she leans into him until his hand finds her back, fingers in a subtle soft trail up her spine, unseen by anyone else, but making her shiver. 

Across the table, Gigi looks at them and grins. 

"Gigi. What?" William demands. 

"Nothing." But she looks smug, watching them, and Lizzie can't say it's not deserved, because they wouldn't be together without Gigi. 

His fingers trace the seam and the strap on her back as if he can't stop touching her, and it makes her want to touch him back. 

She's finished her martini and Fitz is talking about his vacation, when she yawns abruptly. She slaps her hand over her mouth. "Gosh, sorry. You're really not that boring, Fitz, I swear. I think the excitement and the alcohol is making me a little tired."

Lydia comes back from flirting at another table in time to hear that. "Worst. Partier. Ever." 

William drops his head down almost to her shoulder to ask softly, "Do you want to leave?" 

He's so close his breath stirs her hair, and she shivers. She suddenly wants out of there badly. "I think I do actually," she agrees, keeping her voice casual. "If that's okay?"

"No, not okay," Lydia interrupts. "Not if I have to go, too, just because you're snoozeville." 

"Lydia!" Jane takes out her rarely-used 'big sister does not approve' face and turns it on Lydia.

Gigi says, "I can call for the car to come back later. We don't have to go yet." 

"Oh, well then, fine, Lizzie can be her usual self and leave early. I'm staying." Lydia sits back down on the stool with a flounce and waves her free hand. "Have fun being boring."

Lizzie glances at William's face and confirms that he's fine with leaving. He was only staying for her, she realizes. Even with a group of people he knows, he's not comfortable in this party full of strangers. She's watched him in business meetings, where he's on his own terrain and he's fine, but at a party like this, he mostly avoids people. It's kind of funny because a lot of the people at this party would probably like to do business with Pemberley Digital, except the only people who know who he is are the ones who have seen her videos. And that's apparently not a very big group. 

In any case, she's dragged him into enough sociability for the night, and if it's tiring to her, it must be worse for him. And they have better things to do tonight.

"C'mon, let's go." She grabs her clutch with her phone inside, and stands. William is standing so close behind her his belt buckle is against her back and his hand closes on her hip to steady her and she can't help nudging back a little more firmly against him. His fingers tighten their grip in his only overt reaction, and that gives her a fluttery, electric feeling.

Charlotte eyes flick down to see where his hand is, and she gives one of her knowing smiles. "Have fun."

Lydia snorts and rolls her eyes as if Lizzie doesn't even know what that means. 

"'Night everybody, thanks for being here with me," Lizzie wishes the table collectively.

"Don't forget the meeting at nine," William tells Fitz, who salutes in response.

"Aye, aye, cap'n." 

In the hotel's valet area, Lizzie inhales a welcome breath of the fresher air, and then rubs her arms as her skin chills. William lays his jacket over her shoulders, and she glances up with a grateful smile, "Thank you." 

"That's what it's for." His jacket is big and warm and she leans into him, grateful that he feels so solid next to her as they wait. Her littlest toes are complaining and she can't wait to kick off her shoes.

"Do you want to go back to the condo?" he asks. 

She's about to say yes, but there's a gleam in his eyes like he might have a better idea, but he's fishing to see how tired she really is. "No… no, not really, I just wanted to get out of there. I love all of them, but still," she took his hand and their fingers thread together, like magic. "I like it when it's just us." 

He presses his cheek to her head, and kisses her hair. "Me, too. The night doesn't have to end right now. We could drive around, across the bridge, see the city across the water…"

"That sounds perfect." 

The limo pulls up and the driver opens the door. Lizzie climbs in, realizing without the rest of the group it's ridiculously big for only two of them. William gives directions to the driver and then slides in after her, as she kicks off her shoes with a breath of relief. The driver raises the front partition, leaving her and William in their own world, lit by the string of small indigo lights around the bar and the street lamps dimmed by the smoky glass.

It's warm enough that Lizzie lets his jacket fall from her shoulders and his gaze tracks the motion, slipping down her chest. Which is the first time all night he's let himself look, at least that she's caught, and she smiles. 

"You know what I've wanted to do all night?" she asks. 

When his eyes lift back to hers, there's a spark and a faint smile that says he hopes it's what he's been wanting all night, or at least since he got in the car. She reaches over and tugs his bowtie undone. "That." 

She valiantly doesn't laugh at his flicker of disappointment and moves closer. "And this, too." She pulls the tie off and drops it onto the seat, and then nearly pops off his collar button trying to open it. "And this." 

His left hand falls on her bare thigh where her dress is riding up. "Lizzie…" He tugs her nearer, so she kneels across his legs and doesn't even have to bend much to kiss him. 

Now that they're alone his hands caress her back and shoulders freely. She can taste the Bailey's and coffee he was drinking earlier, and tries to remember how to work buttons and get his shirt open because really, it's unfair that men wear so many clothes. 

His hands slide up her waist and ribcage, and she's just got his second button open when his lips pull away, but not far, only to kiss her cheek and beneath her ear. She shudders, feeling that kiss shiver down to her feet, but settle deep inside. "Will-"

He hums in response, mouth on her neck and dropping down until she's arching her back and he's tugging at the fabric out of the way. It doesn't need a lot of pull to bring her breasts out of the cups and okay, if anyone asked she might admit she picked the dress for that purpose. He's both gentle and eager to touch her, and though she'd been self-conscious when they'd first gotten together, they're past that now. Her eyes drift closed for a moment, as her fingers thread in his hair to coax him closer. 

One of his hands cups her breast warmly, and she twitches as his tongue sweeps across the tip of the other. Clutching a handful of his shirt with her other hand, she shudders, and then again at the double sensation of his lips gently sucking as his other hand curls around her thigh.

"Oh, god, William, you feel so- " She's going to say 'good' but her voice catches in her throat at the sudden clenching deep in her abdomen. Out the back window she sees they must be in the park, but she's glad for tinted windows. 

Wanting more, she grinds down on him. He gives a little gasp, and she takes the moment to pull him up to kiss again and so she can open his shirt the rest of the way. 

"Stupid buttons," she mutters when her fingers won't work properly. He lets go of her and leans back to help, and she smacks his hands away. "I've got it." Then, finally, she has his shirt out of his pants and open, and she can put both hands on his skin. 

He pushes her dress up to her waist, smoothing his palms on her hips and bare thighs and hooks his fingers into the top of her black bikini panties, as if he's considering pulling them off. It's with a bit of a smirk at him that she opens his belt and then the fastener on his pants. He stills and his eyes hold hers, as if daring her to keep going, so without looking down, she very slowly slides his zipper down. It feels like a small victory when she realizes he's got his inner lip in his teeth, and she leans down over him to press her breasts against his chest and kiss him again. 

She would leave it there, settle for making out, except she knows William Darcy is always prepared. He proves to be, pausing the action long enough to dig for his wallet and the condom packet in there. 

He tilts his head a little and lifts his brows in what would be an innocent expression on anyone else, but makes him look a bit diabolical. "Just in case," he explains. 

"I like your planning," she reassures him and plucks it from his hand. "I got this." 

When she finally eases onto him it's a feeling of completion, of belonging so intense she wants to shout his name, except she's panting for breath. His hands are cupping her breasts and that's just too much - but then he caresses down her sides to hold her hips so he can move, too. 

Her thighs tremble and she bites her lip, as her vision goes starry and her whole body clenches up on a final heavy rush. 

It doesn't stop either, as he pushes into her hard, chasing his own climax. "Lizzie…. Oh god, Lizzie…" 

His head goes back, and his back arches, then he relaxes, panting. She watches, as pleasure dissolves in to smugness that she can do that to him. 

Then he reaches for her and his arms gather her near, kissing her again and again, like he fears she's dissolve out of his hands. They settle then, her head on his chest, and she closes her eyes, content. 

She rests on him for a while, uncaring of what's outside as long as she can hear his heart beating under her ear. But the rumble of tires on a new surface rouses her and she realizes they're going across the Golden Gate. 

"Where are we going?" she asks. 

His hand doesn't stop smoothing her hair and her back. "It's a surprise." 

"Hm, I love surprises. Good ones, anyway." 

"It's a good one." 

He's still mostly dressed, his shirt and pants are undone but still on. Whereas her dress is bunched in a weird belt at her waist and she's otherwise naked. She doesn't want to stir and fix it yet, though, because she's entirely too comfortable. 

His hand is idly smoothing her hair against her shoulder, but as the car slows and rumbles he shifts to get a look out the window. "Lizzie, we're here." 

"Where's here?" 

"Where I told him to stop." He tugs at her dress and she lets out a complaining groan but straightens up anyway. She pulls her dress into place again and finds her underwear on the floor, having to grab William's knee when the car takes a curve unexpectedly. 

She feels very naughty as she stuffs her panties into her clutch, and she catches him watching her do it with a look that suggests he's getting ideas for the trip home. But the limo slows again and makes a tight turn, and he jolts back to awareness, hastily dropping the condom into the small trash can in the bar and putting himself back together. 

She's sitting beside him, smoothing her skirt demurely as the limo stops, tires crunching on gravel. On the speaker the driver says, "Mr. Darcy, we've arrived." 

William hits the intercom. "We'd like to step out for a bit." 

"Yes, sir." 

The driver's door opens and closes, and then the passenger door opens. William climbs out and offers his hand to Lizzie to help her out. She's about to follow, then remembers both jacket and shoes and scoots back to get them. When she turns again to take his hand, she must have looked exactly as coltish and clumsy as she felt, because he's smiling.

But he doesn't say anything, as she shoves her feet back in her heels, and he holds the jacket for her.

Then she sees where he's brought her, to the marina at the tip of the Marin headland in Golden Gate Park. The view of the city and the Bay and the bridge is breathtaking. "It's perfect." She leans against him. "I didn't know there was a place you could see the city like this. And it's so clear tonight, I can see Orion's belt…"

He wraps his arms around her. "I'm glad you like it." 

She turns in his arms to look at him. "I do. Thank you for making tonight so special." 

"My pleasure," he answers politely, but then he smirks. "More literally than I usually mean it." 

She laughs and drags a hand down his chest. "Anytime, tiger."

Their eyes meet and there's something in his - something serious - and she forgets that she can look away. His hands are gentle, taking hers, as he promises, "The night's not over yet." 

* * * 

It is clearly the next day in the video after the title card, since Lizzie's wearing a black shirt and her hair is in a ponytail. 

"The Streamys were great," she tells the camera. "Lots of fun. I met some amazing people. I didn't win anything, but it really was an honor to be nominated. And honestly? I don't need an award to tell me I have a great life. Because I know I do. I have a wonderful family, friends, growing career in something I love, and I found someone I never thought I would who makes me so happy, I just… I don't even know what to say about it."

She glances at the door - maybe Darcy is out there or she's just thinking of him - but then she looks back at the camera. "Here's my tip, internet: get to know people. What they show on the surface, that's not who they are. And you can lose so much by assuming you know, when you don't. So with that piece of wisdom from Auntie Lizzie, I'll say goodbye 'til next time."

She reaches for the camera to turn it off, and it's hard to see - just a flash - but there appears to be something that sparkles on her left hand. 

She grins into the camera.

The screen turns black.


End file.
